Abstract
The Jewish Presence in Turkistan and Their Reflections on Travel Books
Jews had to migrate many times from their holy land, Canaan (Palestine), to other geographies. Most of the time, they did not return from the places where they migrated and continued their lives there. One of the regions where they migrated and stayed is Turkestan. In Turkestan, where the Turkish-Islamic civilization was born, has been a Jewish presence for centuries. The Jews living here are called the Jews of Turkistan, and specifically the Jews of Bukhara. Despite the influence of many different cultures, especially Islam, in the region, these Jews did not lose their identities, cultures and beliefs. However, they differ from Jewish groups in other parts of the world in their lifestyles and practices. They lived in their own neighborhoods in the cities of Turkestan, and generally engaged in different crafts. With the invasion of Turkestan by the Russians, they were given special rights by the Russians and they dominated some trade branches. However, with the collapse of Tsarist Russia and the establishment of the Soviet Union, the Jews of Turkistan, like other nations, were subjected to assimilation policies. Today, Jews continue their lives in some big cities of Turkestan, especially in Bukhara. In this study, the Jewish presence in Turkestan throughout history will be discussed and their reflections on travel books will be tried to be examined.
Keywords
History of Turkestan, History of Central Asia, History of Judaism, Jews of Turkistan, Jews of Bukhar